Thinking of home birth for my first

[RunningGuerita]

Am 25 weeks and am currently booked in at St Thomas' in London. My care is shared care between community midwives team (Stockwell Midwives though I live in Clapham Junction) and my GP.

My next appointment with the midwife isn't till 15th July. What should I do to explore a homebirth? Should I schedule an apppointment with the midwife or just wait till I see her next? The midwifery care I have received so far has been completely un-inspiring so not sure if I am setting myself up for more disappointment as won't the community midwifes that are doing my antenatal be the ones to attend to a homebirth?

St Thomas' has an excellent home away from home birth suite, which I am booked into. I could just stick with that but I really like the idea of trying to not have a medicalised birth.

Thoughts? Advice?

Thanks, G

I was originally booked in at the Royal Free and was told that if pregnancy still low risk at 28 weeks then could discuss then. Why not call them and ask what the timescale for booking a homebirth is?

In the end I felt the same about the RF midwifes (uninspiring) and gave birth in the MLU at the Whittington which was totally not medicalised.

My reason for going for a hospital birth was that I knew that I would not want to move in labour under any circumstances, hence better for me to be in hospital, but its personal choice.

Hi,

I had a home water birth, I am so pleased I did.

I lived in a fairly rural village and the two midwives both attended the birth, one only live down the road so that was handy. I would talk to your midwife about it when you next see her.

You need to be sure that there wont be any major issues.

Good luck.

Just because you're in the MLU doesn't automatically mean a medical birth. I was booked in a MLU (didn't get there in the end, DD arrived too quickly !) and there is no medical intervention available other than water, gas and air and stitching.

Thanks ladies.

I am not too worried if I have to transfer to hospital from home if I decide to HB. But this is my first, so maybe I am being naive?

And yes I agree that in a MLU/Home away from home, I would hope I could stay put and not get transferred to the labour ward. I just worry about being on somone else's timescale...

My understanding is that you're signficantly less likely to have interventions if you have your baby at home than if you go into an MLU - even somewhere like St Thomas', which is excellent.

Don't worry about the midwives. There is no reason why they shouldn't support your wishes, if your pregnancy continues uncomplicated. You don't need to make any irrevocable decisions now anyway, there's no rush. As long as you've discussed it before or at your 36 week appointment I doubt there will be any trouble organising it.

Good luck!

Thanks. I have had a straightforward pregnancy to date (from a medical standpoint!) and am classified as low risk. Am fit, low blood pressure, normal growth/weight gain, etc so can't think of any medical contra indications for a HB. I'll be 37 when baby is born but surely that doesn't count as old these days?!

My first pregnancy was trouble free but the labour (in hospital) was long and arduous. I did it drug-free in the end but I'm glad it was all to hand as things almost got a bit hairy.

I was told I'd be a good candidate for a homebirth next time around because I had a high pain threshold, and it's something I would really consider now that I've done it once and know what it's like, sort of.

We didn't discuss homebirths until towards the end. They did a home visit at 36 weeks to check everything was okay and that was it. Just bring it up at your next appointment. It is your choice to have a hb, they can only advise, but they do not have to approve. You sound like an ideal candidate anyway.

I know you don't want a medicalised birth- I didn't either, hence booking in for a hb- but do just have a theoretical think about what you would like to happen should intervention become necessary. It just makes it easier and less shocking should you need any assistance if you've thought about it beforehand.

Good luck and congratulations.

I had a HB for first baby - was booked into hospital but never really intended to use it. Sprang it on family and GP/midwives at about 37 weeks as I knew they wouldn't be keen (was right ). The whole experience was fantastic, straightforward and definitely no regrets .

Good luck

I had been intending to use the MLU at Whittington since very early on in my pregnancy.

I have surprised myself a little in the last few weeks by deciding to plan for a homebirth. I have my home birthy assesment with the MW on Thursday when I will be 36 weeks.

My thoughts are it is easier to plan for a HB then change mind and opt for MLU or hospital then the other way round. I am fully intending on having a HB however it is good to know my options are still open and if the local council decide to dig up my road when I am in labour (wouldn't be uncommon round here!!!) then I can transfer to MLU.

I found it helpful to do some research and know all the facts and then trust your instinct .... does it feel right?

I have had 3 hbs (and 3 babies!) and didn't tell anyone about my plans for a hb with my first because I anticipated less-than-supportive reactions. I was lucky - the mws here are fanatical about hbs which affirmed my choices. I think feeling confident and supported in your decisions is very important. To inform your decisions, there are loads of resources available - mumsnet (of course); a local homebirth support group and homebirth.org.uk for starters.

Obviously, anecdotal evidence has to be taken with a pinch of salt - there will always be some people for whom things went wrong or they made choices they regret. FWIW, I had 3 amazing experiences and knowing around 7 women who also had hbs, none regretted their decision to plan a hb - even the 2 who had to transfer.

Good luck.

I had dd at home and she was also a first baby. We decided at about 30 weeks after visiting our local hospital and MLU, discussed it wiht the midwife and she said that as long as everything stayed straightforward with my health and the baby's, she was all in favour.

I found the home birth website very helpful for looking at practicalities and answering a lot of my questions (though it is obviously very pro-HB so not the most neutral source!)

www.homebirth.org.uk/

Oh and re midwives, as you say it's a community team so you may not necessarily know the MW who comes out. In the event the MW I'd seen for all my appointments had the flu so I got two MWs I'd never met before, both were great though.

"I was told I'd be a good candidate for a homebirth next time around because I had a high pain threshold"

I have a low pain threshold and needed an epidural with my first (hospital) birth. I coped much better with the pain at home, through my second birth (which was complicated - baby was nearly 11lbs) and with my third labour, which lasted longer than my first.

giveittome...
I thought it was a bizarre comment too - it was during the post-birth debrief, and to be honest I didn't know if I'd coped with the pain well or not (what the heck do you compare it to), but she did go on to say I was calm and in control throughout the 2 1/2 hrs of pushing, and good with breathing through contractions so I would more than likely be approved for a homebirth next time around if I asked for one.

had my first at home, also at tommy's and talked to my midwife team around 28 weeks, so said they'd keep it in mind but we'd talk properly once i was at 34weeks (I think?), then were very supportive but didn't book it in until 37 weeks when full term and I'd had a totally uneventful pregnancy

best decision of my life..that homebirth website is fab

Thanks again ladies for all of your comments. Sounds like I don't need to make a special apmt and I should just raise it next time I see my midwife at 28 weeks.

Did you ladies who home birthed use birthing pools????

I'm 33/40 with my first and we've decided to book a homebirth, knowing that I can always wimp out on the day!

Yes - no need for special appointment, just bring it up next time. And keep bringing it up if you see different MW. I nearly missed the slot for having a HB because the one appointment in the whole process where I didn;t mention it, was the 28 week one where (round here) they start the process. I had foolisly assumed that the MW had actually read my notes rather than just casting her eyes over them....

Hi

another first time home birther here - totally recommend it.

Just discuss with MW at next appointment and try and get home birth MWs to see you at home for rest of your ante-natal care if you decide to go for it as will give you a chance to meet a few members of the team.

DD was delivered by 2 MWs I'd never met and they were totally amazing - by the time they arrived I was already pushing so wouldn't have cared if they were by best friends or total strangers as long as they did the job.

WEe bought a La Bassine birth pool but didn't get it filled in time. A friend used it 2 weeks later and had a fab water borth at home in it. I did spend all of my labour in the bath though which I can highly recommend.

I also did the natal hypnotherapy CDs for home birth which I can recommend highly.

Final word of advice - do explain to DH that if you ask him to call an ambulance it's not because you've 'wimped out and want to go to hospital' but because you suddenly realise you are pushing and MWs not there yet (our fault for not realising I was actually in later stages of labour after a few hours and not calling MWs until, what I now realise, was transition). This is what they tell you to do if that happens, but DH sauntered off, didn't call 999, tried the MWs again, faffed about for 10 mins as he wanted to give me time to 'change my mind as I'd regret going in to hospital', and didn't realise that I was pushing in the bathroom! No harm done though as pushing took a while and MWs were there in time.

we didn't have a pool because we rented a first floor flat. I tried the bath but it made it much more painful - power shower worked wonders though (there's something you don't get in hospital!)

Thanks again, all great advice.

I'd definitely recommend planning to use a birthpool if at all possible, I've only ever heard of one person not liking it, vast majority of us loved it, it can seriously take the edge off contractions, helps soften you up to make tearing less likely, takes the weight off so you can move about easily, and gives you your own little space so other people can't encroach too much. I used "birth pool in a box", thought it was fab.

I also got a lot of mileage out of hypnobirthing techniques - recommend doing a course if you can. Maximises your chances of staying calm and in control.

Reading up on interventions and why they might be needed is a good idea, as well as finding out how to avoid really unnecessary interventions. Some people find their community midwives less enthusiastic (and less experienced and so more risk-adverse) than others. For example, some may want you to transfer if you have meconium in your waters, even if it is well diluted and baby's heartbeat is fine. If you (and partner) are well read you will be more able to fight your corner, so to speak (fighting in labour is not really recommended of course!).

Have you considered hiring an IM?

I had my third at hme and wish that I had had my first two at home, it was fantastic. If that is what you want go for it!

smilehomebirth wasn't considering an IM due to cost...but currently looking into a birth doula.
Yes I think a birthing pool sounds like a good idea and it should be feasible where we live.

Thanks!